October 30 - November 2, 2018 Firearms, Militaria, & Sporting
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/30/2018
Only a total of 6,496 large frame Colt Lightning rifles were ever produced. A standard carbine is almost impossible to find and a Baby Carbine is virtually unknown. It is a Baby Carbine due to the barrel diameter being smaller than the tube diameter. Features full round barrel, full magazine, blued finish, single barrel band, singular tube holder, folding ladder rear sight, standard bead front sight, two piece checkered forend, walnut buttstock and carbine butt. CONDITION: This is arguably the finest known example to survive. Barrel and tube retain approximately 95% of their original Colt finish with a light area of salt and pepper on bottom right side of tube at muzzle and some scattered age freckling. Legends are sharp. Frame retains 75-80% original high polish Colt factory blue with the balance simply a soft grey patina. Walnut stocks are excellent; forend has sharp checkering, buttstock has a few normal impressions. Fine action. Strong, clean rifled bore with mirror grooves. We have only seen two or three of these in 20 years and neither had any original condition; this example is spectacular, only showing light use with loads of original finish. If you are looking for a large frame Baby Carbine, it would be near impossible given total production to find a nicer example.